*Custard recipes were developed in Europe in the Middle Ages, but they were independently invented in Asia as well. European custards are eggier, and American fusion recipes are based on this style. The name “custard” derives from croustade, which was the pie or tart crust into which the custard was poured; it comes from the Latin crusta, meaning shell. The first custards were savory tart fillings. Prior to the development of pastry crusts, a hollowed-out loaf of bread was used.

Tortilla Sandwiches In Deli Style

CAPSULE REPORT: We love fusion foods—combinations of ingredients from different food cultures that deliver a new take on the original foods. Examples include green tea custard and wasabi mashed potatoes, which combine Japanese flavors with traditional European recipes.*

Heading south of the border, we are big fans of Tumaro’s fusion of tortilla-inspired wraps with European-American delicatessen breads, enabling the creation of tortilla sandwiches with deli flavors. They’re even better with conventional sandwich fillings than Tumaro’s regular line of gourmet tortillas—a favorite of ours.

(Is there a difference between a tortilla and a wrap! Although many people use the words interchangeably, there’s a pronounced difference. See it below.)

Tumaro's Gourmet Tortillas’ New York Deli Style Wraps currently come in five flavors. Each one is a winner, but we have a special fondness for the pumpernickel and rye, our favorite deli breads. The wrap are moister than most—a definite plus when making tortilla sandwiches.

Cracked Pepper Wrap
While we haven’t seen cracked pepper in a deli bread, we’re taking this flavor on faith. It will be a hit with everyone who likes a bit of pepper sizzle. We used it to give extra punch to a tuna salad wrap and to a “Mediterranean” wrap with hummus, tabbouleh, cucumbers and Kalamata olives.

Everything Wrap
For “everything bagel” fans, this is a blend of poppy seeds, salt, onion and garlic. We especially liked this wrap for scrambled egg or egg salad tortilla sandwiches.

Pumpernickel Wrap
This is our favorite, because we love the bold flavors of pumpernickel and Reuben sandwiches. We made lots of Reuben wraps, plus chicken and avocado wrap sandwiches.

Rye New York WrapThe classic deli bread flavor is great as a wrap sandwich. You can put anything in it. We made BLTs and chicken salad BLTs.

Sourdough WrapThis is a pretty universal flavor: we even made peanut butter and jelly wrap sandwiches.

The suggested retail price is $2.99–$3.99 for a four-pack. The wraps are available at grocers nationwide and online.

Wraps Vs. Bread

While different brands have varying levels of calories and fat, one ten-inch New York Deli Style Wrap has 80 calories, except for Cracked Pepper, which has 100 calories. The wraps also have 10g and 12g of fiber, respectively.

The wraps are definitely a lower-calorie substitute for two slices of bread, unless you use Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Bread at 45 calories a slice (we can’t split hairs over the 10-calorie differential).

What's more, unlike many breads, these wraps contain no sugar. Each wrap has 9g of protein and 20% DV of calcium—more than twice the amount of Pepperidge Farm Very Thin.

Wraps Vs. Tortillas: What’s The Difference?

Tortillas are a type of flat bread. Flat breads such as pita have been used for millennia to hold meats and other items that are today known as sandwich fixings. (See our Bread Glossary for the different types of flatbreads.)

Today’s wraps resemble a tortilla, but they differ in a few ways.

First, wraps are larger then regular tortillas—think burrito-size tortilla—which creates a more conventional sandwich size that can be cut in half.

Second, wraps tend to contain yeast, which creates a more porous, airier bread with a better sandwich-like chew.

Wraps are made in a variety of flavors, while tortillas are simply flour or corn.

And lastly, wraps are baked in an oven while tortillas are traditionally cooked in a pan.

THE NIBBLE has been reviewing the finest foods in America since 2004.Our recommendations are based purely on our opinion, after tasting thousands of products each year, that they represent the best in their respective categories. Product reviews are by a unanimous vote of our Editorial Committee. We do not accept placement fees: All products have earned their way into our webzine due to excellence.

Do you have friends who would enjoy THE NIBBLE?Click hereto send them an invitation to sign up for their own copy.